Hedwig's (Other) Home: The Aviary
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(regular)
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Many locations in and around Prince George, requiring a fair amount of driving, some not too strenuous walking, a bit of simple math, an interest in birds (not a necessity, just nice), and no additional oxygen (600 - 800 meters)
After months of deep thought, speculation and procrastination, Eco-Twindad and Dougals of PG are proud to present, to the geocaching community of Prince George and the outside world, Hedwig’s (Other) Home: The Aviary, a multicache tribute to our feathered friends. We hope you have fun with this one, we did putting it together, drove about 150 km., spent almost 7 hours at it. So, leave yourself some time (maybe even a couple of days), and fill up the gas tank. There’s some walking involved, or you could throw a mountain bike on the car for some of the stops. Minor bushwhacking is required to reach the ultimate goal.The first, posted coordinates take you to your first stop, at which you start gathering clues to assemble the coordinates for the final cache. Proceed through the list, assembling numbers as you go. If you want to email us to check your coordinates when you’re nearing the end, feel free, we don’t want this to be a frustrating experience for you.The original contents of the cache are:· small toy car· small toy plane· key chain can opener· fish scale (to 8 lbs)· Mr. PG pin· small leather bag· dragon on wood· small gray rocket ship· WCB pin· 1996 Camporee badge· 2 PG bird checklists· Stiltskin CD· Challenger mini-arcade game· Change purse / sewing kit· Audio tape· Quotations from Chairman Zalm (for those of you old enough to remember the reign of Bill)· Soapstone beads / ring in cloth bag· 2 moose management crests· 8th South Peace Chetwynd scout troop badges (2)· Small screwdriver· 3 standard pencils· 3 Lee Valley mechanical pencils· 3 Bic ballpoint pens, red, black, and blue· 2 plastic key tags· 2000 doubloon· Nunavut doubloon· 2 new 50 cent pieces· Wedding band fishing lure· Logbook· Disposable camera· ***********GEOCOIN 1130· *********** “GRUMPY” TRAVEL BUG 428419The coordinates of Hedwig’s (Other) Home are: N A B C D. E F G W H I J K L. M N OAnd now, let the games begin; this, we think, is the logical order to do this cache in, but feel free to pick them off as you wish; if you’d like an EasyGPS file of these waypoints, email either of us and we’ll email you back with the file.1) N 53 44.046 (all waypoints average of 100 sequential points on a Map76S) W 122 51.241A fairly significant drive to a popular regional attraction. Violet-green swallows swooped around us at this site.K = the number of the month of establishment plus 4C = the day of establishment minus 25This was the “outlier” point; all the rest are closer to home, if PG is your home…..2) N 53 52.607 W 122 39.585Where the big birds come to play (and eat), and the boys of summer too. Black-billed magpies, and mountain bluebirds, seen here. A = the number on the backstop + 13) N 53.52.655 W 122 39.508If you wanted to go for a beer now, you’d have to drive X . X km. Watch for red-tailed hawks and short-eared owls on fence posts and in the fields, if you’re going there. J = X – 24) N 53 55.354 W 122 43.913A place famous for woodpeckers and warblers, and for its role in Heritage River Trails. When was that Rivers Day, anyway?? MM/DD/YYYY F = the last digit of the day – 3 I = the last digit of the year – 55) N 53 54.204 W 122 44.171A great place to go “exploring”….A spotted sandpiper passed under us as we stood on the a b c d e f. M = “a’s” place in the alphabet (1st letter = 1, last letter = 26) +2 E = “e’s” place in the alphabet – 3Oh, and did I mention the Wilson’s warbler on the trail in?6) N 53 55.770 W 122 45.288Park at these coordinates: N 53 56.083 W 122 45.426Among other spectacular sights from this spot, a gorgeous pair of Western Tanagers, and several Western Wood Peewees. You should be at sign No. 2. The 1st train came in on MM/DD/YYYY H = the last digit of the year – 3And man, it was cold that day, specifically, - XX B = X + 17) N 53 56.998 W 122 56.747There's a gate at 53 56.738 and 122 56.767, closed in the evening AND early in the year (like until maybe the first of May?) You can still walk in, though... An orange-crowned warbler flitted along the trail here. You find yourself at a building. What’s the stove’s name? a b c d e D = “b’s” place in the alphabet – 9There are X picnic tables under the roof. L = “a’s” place in the alphabet - X8) N 53 53.684 W 122 49.931Ruby-crowned kinglets calling everywhere! The elevation of the major water body on the map in front of you is a b c meters. G = a – 79) N 53 53.468 W 122 50.170There were common goldeneyes on the water when we were here. You’re looking at a b c d e Lake. What place do the letters occupy in the alphabet? N = (d + e) – a10) N53 53.481 W 122 50.407You’re almost there! A red-breasted nuthatch was “anking” at us as we stood here. You’re looking at an impressive specimen of conifer, a a b c d e f g h i j Alphabet places again: O = c – (e + i)Let’s assume (a safe assumption at this point, we’d say!) that you now have a compete set of new coordinates, the numbers for Hedwig’s (Other) Home.Do take one of the brochures in there, they tie all your travels together. Hope you had fun, got some exercise, and saw some good birds! Do take a picture of your triumphant self(ves), there’s a disposable camera in the tub. And if you can cheer Grumpy up by taking him travelling, please do so!!Problems with this cache? Please write us via our profiles, we need to know!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Bss lbh tb, bss genvy sbe whfg n ovg, bu, 50 zrgref be fb. Lbh svaq lbhefrys va n pyrnevat, evtug? Ybbx nebhaq.....gur pnpur vf ng gur onfr bs gur gnyyrfg gerr lbh frr ng gur rqtr bs gur bcravat.